Royal Caribbean’s Cozumel Beach Club Under Environmental Review

Cozumel, Mexico — Royal Caribbean has submitted its Royal Beach Club Cozumel project for environmental evaluation by Mexican authorities. The cruise line announced the $75 million project in 2024, which would be located at kilometer 15 of the Southern Coastal Highway on the island if approved by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.

The beach club would have capacity for 4,000 daily tourists and include restaurants, swimming pools, bathrooms with showers, direct beach access, and support infrastructure distributed across six general zones: arrival area, main pool, market, north and south beach, south villa, and service areas.

The project would occupy a total area of 17.42 hectares, with 1.1 hectares located in the Federal Maritime Terrestrial Zone designated for semi-permanent installations like beach chairs and palapas. Another 4.29 hectares would be on private land for the main beach club infrastructure, with the remaining area designated as open spaces, according to the Environmental Impact Statement.

Governor Mara Lezama announced the investment amount in a March 2024 post on platform X: “Cozumel is preparing to continue receiving thousands of visitors like never before at the Royal Beach Club Collection Cozumel, a new tourist attraction that Royal Caribbean will build with an investment of more than $75 million.”

Royal Caribbean states in the Environmental Impact Statement that existing tourist structures currently operate as a beach club on the site, making “a comprehensive remodeling that includes reconstruction and expansion of the site imperative.” The company cites “progressive degradation of the facilities that have affected safety and functionality, preventing the offering of a completely safe and reliable environment for visitors” as the primary reason for the renovation.

The company emphasizes that the project’s objective is not hotel construction, stating: “On the contrary, it involves developing a day recreation site where visitors can enjoy a beach club experience without overnight stays on the island.”

Environmental organizations in Cozumel had previously warned that the project could involve appropriation of public beach areas on the island, as well as loss of jungle and vegetation to expand the existing club at the same location.